RESEARCH - Prevalence and incidence of gastroduodenal ulcers during treatment with aspirin

[Guest guest]

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Nov 1;22(9):795-801.

Prevalence and incidence of gastroduodenal ulcers during treatment with

vascular protective doses of aspirin.

Yeomans ND, Lanas AI, Talley NJ, Thomson AB, Daneshjoo R, sson B,

Appelman-Eszczuk S, Langstrom G, Naesdal J, Serrano P, Singh M, Skelly MM,

Hawkey CJ.

Western Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne,

Melbourne, and University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

n.yeomans@...

BACKGROUND: Aspirin is valuable for preventing vascular events, but

information about ulcer frequency is necessary to inform risk-benefit

decisions in individual patients. AIM: To determine ulcer prevalence and

incidence in a population representative of those given aspirin therapy and

evaluate risk predictors. METHODS: Patients taking aspirin 75-325 mg daily

were recruited from four countries. Exclusions included use of

gastroprotectant drugs or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. We

measured point prevalence of endoscopic ulcers, after quantitating dyspeptic

symptoms. Incidence was assessed 3 months later in those eligible to

continue (no baseline ulcer or reason for gastroprotectants). RESULTS: In

187 patients, ulcer prevalence was 11% [95% confidence interval (CI)

6.3-15.1%]. Only 20% had dyspeptic symptoms, not significantly different

from patients without ulcer. Ulcer incidence in 113 patients followed for 3

months was 7% (95% CI 2.4-11.8%). Helicobacter pylori infection increased

the risk of a duodenal ulcer [odds ratio (OR) 18.5, 95% CI 2.3-149.4], as

did age >70 for ulcers in stomach and duodenum combined (OR 3.3, 95% CI

1.3-8.7). CONCLUSIONS: Gastroduodenal ulcers are found in one in 10 patients

taking low-dose aspirin, and most are asymptomatic; this needs considering

when discussing risks/benefits with patients. Risk factors include older age

and H. pylori (for duodenal ulcer).

PMID: 16225488

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstra\

ct & list_uids=16225488 & itool=iconabstr & query_hl=74 & itool=pubmed_DocSum

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org